Letters for Cordy
by drunkdragon
Summary: It had been a year since Robin disappeared from the world, and Morgan decided that enough was enough. It was time to see where the key led to.
1. Epilogue's Prologue

Epilogue's Prologue

_"Come on, Robin, this way!"_

_The girl was certainly quick on her feet. After taking in the sight of Ylisstol, discovering that Chrom and Lissa were royalty, and meeting _and being addressed_ by the Exalt herself, he was certainly not expecting that he would have to practically chase after the spritely girl. She seemed very excited to show him the barracks._

_She was starting to round the corner, about a good twenty paces ahead of him. Lissa didn't seem to understand that in order for him to follow, she would have to let him have the opportunity to actually see where she went. Rounding after her, he began to yell._

_"Lissa, I need you to-"_

_He ran into something that was hard, made of metal, had red hair and was distinctly human. Taking a step back, he began to stammer a quick apology._

_"S-Sorry, I didn't see you there. I was trying to-"_

_He got a good look at her face and felt his heart hitch for a moment. "S-Sorry, was trying to… um…"_

_He was at a loss for words, and all he could squeeze out at the end was a sheepish "Sorry."_

_Too bad she didn't share the same sentiment. "There is a reason why we don't run down these halls." Her tone was harsh and annoyed and Robin felt himself cowering a little._

_"I'm really sorry, I am! I-I was just trying to-"_

_"Don't 'sorry' me." She grabbed him by the collar and pulled him in, forcing him to stoop a few inches down and shaking him a little bit._

_Her crimson eyes were suddenly very close. And angry. But mostly very close._

_"Oh, look at Ms. Perfect go. Just starting her guard shift and she's already caught someone."_

_"Sounds just like her."_

_She gave off a low growl and averted her gaze, letting go of his cloak. "It does not bode well to conduct yourself poorly in the royal castle, you know."_

_"Robin, come on!" Lissa came running back, grabbing him by the sleeve. "What's the holduuuuup?" her excitement didn't mask her annoyance with the situation._

_"Oh, Princess," Cordelia backed away from Lissa and gave a short bow. "I was unaware that this… Robin was a part of your company." He noted that her whole demeanor had changed._

_"Not just my company," Lissa said matter-of-factly, "he's part of the Shepherds! He needs to meet all of them!"_

_"Forgive me, Your Highness, I didn't mean to withhold him from your meeting." She looked around, as if scanning for someone. "Although, if he is to be introduced, shouldn't Lord Chrom be here as well?"_

_"Nah, he has some boring council to get ready for. Come on, Robin, let's go!" the princess began to drag him along by the sleeve and he was forced to move along with the princess._

_"W-Wait!" she started, taking a hold of his other sleeve, "I know you need to take him somewhere, but I need to let him know of the rules here."_

_"Aww, can't that wait?" Lissa pouted._

_"Let it go, Cordelia," another woman's voice echoed through the hallway. Her hair was silvery and her eyes red._

_"Captain Phila!" the red-haired Cordelia turned around to face the older woman and saluted her, releasing Robin's sleeve. "This man was-"_

_"Was running in the hall, yes," the lady finished. "However, _Princess_ Lissa requires his presence elsewhere. Let it go."_

_"U-Understood, ma'am." He watched as her shifted just a little under her officer's gaze._

_"I'm not trying to reprimand you, Cordelia." Phila said, smiling softly. "In fact," she gave a slight pause and turned her eyes to the rest of the guards, "I _appreciate_ how attentive you are to your duties. However, there are a few things, like running in a hall to try to keep up with the Princess' plan, that you can let slip by."_

_She then turned to Robin. "I hope you understand that Cordelia doesn't intend to be rude, but merely upholding her duty." He was reminded of parents introducing children to other children._

_"N-Not at all, Captain Phila. I understand." He stammered._

_"Good," she smiled at him. "Now then, hopefully everything is in order. Cordelia, continue your shift as scheduled. I need to prepare for the council with Exalt Emmeryn and Lord Chrom. I hope you enjoy your new position here, Robin."_

_"Of course he will!" Lissa replied, "He'll be with the Shepherds!" She started to drag him again. "Now come on! I have to show you your room, too!"_

_As Lissa dragged him off and Phila walked away, Robin found that his gaze and thoughts were still on Cordelia, who gave a frustrated sigh and began to round the corner._

_That night, he found himself sleepless with the thought of beautiful red eyes while warm crimson locks flowed between his fingertips. He was unable to understand his sudden infatuation with her, wondering if some of it was attributed to his prior memories._

* * *

It had been a harsh year for Morgan. Though Ylisse had entered a time of peace with its larger neighbors on the north and west, smaller nations in their continent had begun to offer terms of peace and becoming its allies. Though Robin had done some minor negotiations during his time, never had they been in bulk. And with her father gone, this meant that she, who was under his brief tutelage, would be the first candidate of several to take up his mantle.

It was a role she found herself struggling to fill, especially now.

Yesterday, all of the Shepherds gathered at the castle in solemn remembrance of that day. While the rest of Ylisse celebrated the victory over Grima, they remembered, and for many it was tearful. But once they started to come to Morgan and thanking her for what her father had done and the courage he gave them all that day in spite of the sheer bleakness, she found herself becoming numb at their remarks.

Yes, her father had done a great thing for them. Yes, he led the charge when all others trembled. But it felt suffocating for everyone to try and be supportive, to try and offer her words of encouragement when everything she did was a constant reminder of what he left behind. When it ended and they finally parted ways, Morgan was glad it was over.

Cordelia had her hands busy between taking care of her younger self and fulfilling her job as the captain of the Pegasus Knights. Severa had gone off on her own with Owain in tow, the man refusing to leave Gantrithor's feats unsung, although she was sure that it was her sister he followed after.

All she could busy herself with was her father's work. She vowed not to show the pain of flipping through his notes when it came to devising a treaty. She made sure never to falter in her orders when issuing Shepherds patrol routes to keep the bandit problem in check. She promised herself that every day, every time she put on her father's cloak, she would honor his legacy in serving. She would be optimistic and not show weakness.

It slowly chipped away at her for the past year. It angered her. It made her silently weep in her room some nights, the pain of seeing the other Shepherds, even her mother and sister, recovering from the void while she was forced to endure because the Ylisse needed it.

And now tonight, a year after Robin left, a year after Grima was defeated, a year where she suffered, she found herself clutching the key he had given her. Her feet had taken her to her mother's room, where her father had slept and worked. She used her spare door key to enter the room and was now standing across from his desk.

She was able to immediately identify where the key he left her was to be used. On the bottom right, near where the frame met the ground, was a locked drawer. She stared at it, eyes filled with grief, determination, anger, resentment, suspense, anxiousness, and most of all curiosity. Her father had told her that when she was ready, she was to open it. But what did ready mean? When she became the best tactician in the nation, surpassing even her father? When she was ready to get married?

Taking the key out from her coat, she slipped it into the lock and turned, hearing a muted click from the other side of it. She put her hand underneath the handle and paused, her breath suddenly hitching in her throat.

If there was ever a time when she would be ready, she figured this was as close as she would get to it.

Very gently, she opened the drawer, taking a peak into the crack. It was a leather bound book. There were some papers beneath it, notes perhaps, but she slid the rest of the drawer out and took a hold of the tome. It was thin, smaller than the other books she had seen in her father's possessions.

It showed signs of much use. There was no doubt that her father had gone through this book many, many times, seeking to draw as many meanings and interpretations as possible, no doubt. But it was so thin. Perhaps not even fifty pages. What could have been in this book that was worth reading over and over again?

She looked at the title and felt her heart ache, thinking back to that night on the boat to Origin Island.

_Circumstances_

This was the book that was responsible for his choice that day. It was why they were experiencing a time of peace and why he was no longer there. It was the book that his ideals arose from. Hesitantly, she opened the cover. Reading the first page, it was as if her father had come back, the words ringing in her ears.

_Suppose you're a general. While leading a group of soldiers, you find that your line was pushed back and in the chaos you are cut off from the army and trapped behind enemy lines. Retreat is possible, but only if you are able to fight your way through enemy troops back to your line, which is as equally armed. Suddenly, the opposing army's general is exposed before you and you see an opportunity to exploit it. Defeating him is the objective of the battle and will result in victory. In terms of raw strength, both forces are equal. However, they have the numeric advantage. Even if you are able defeat him in one-on-one combat, his troops may cut you down before you can accomplish the deed._

_What do you do?_

She wanted to put the book down. She wanted to put it back into the drawer, lock it, and perhaps never come back to it again. But this was her father's book, the father that she adored and the man she wanted to be proud of her, even if he wasn't there to do it. Fighting to remain still, she continued down the page, and it once again spoke like her father.

_There are good choices among wise decisions. But what is best depends on the circumstances that you are in, and the true circumstances are to be known only by the commander._

_This is not a book about strategies to utilize. It is not a book of flanking maneuvers, stealth, or ambush. This is a book on how to approach decision making and why you make the choices you do. It is about why you must fight. It is about why you must retreat. It is about why you must sometimes avoid waging battle._

_It is about why, when the time, location, and reasons are right, you must be willing to put your life on the line and die for your war, for your convictions, for your love._

She reached the bottom of the page. It was not a strategy book she held in her hands, she realized, but a book about philosophy in regards to strategy. She turned the page, expecting a table of contents like so many other books, but instead she was greeted by a small set of instructions and what she realized was her father's handwriting.

_On this page, write down anyone and anything that you would give your life up for._

**Cordy**, Severa, **Future Severa**, Future Morgan.  
Chrom  
Lissa  
**Frederick  
**Ylisse  
**Shepherds**

She knew that, from the varying quality of ink, the list had evolved as time went on. Also, with how worn the book was, it was impossible for him to have received it after her parents had married. He must have acquired this book a long time ago, meaning that for some time it was only Chrom and Lissa on the list. Looking down at the very bottom, she saw more text.

_These are the factors, the true circumstances that will shape your decisions. Do not let anyone know of them, for you risk being undone by revealing such critical information. It is your weakness, and you must be very careful of who you show your weakness to.  
_

She put the book down on the top of his desk. It was eerie, hearing some of her father's last words to her communicated in this way. Though she intended to finish the text, it was becoming too much for her right now. Turning her gaze away from the tome, her eyes fell to the open drawer. Inside there were many sheets of paper. Reaching down, she pulled them up from the compartment, straightened them out, expecting them to be notes on the book.

But as she read the first line, she felt her heart wring once more.

_To Cordy,_

Her breath hitched in her throat. It couldn't be. She began to thumb through the top of the pages, eyes widening in disbelief.

_To Cordy, My One Love,_

_To the Lovely Cordelia,_

These were far from notes.

_My Dearest Cordy,_

_Dear Cordelia,_

These were the beginnings of love letters, and there were many of them. Eyes running to the bottom, she stared incredulously at the signature.

Or, where there should have been one.

Quickly rifling through the rest of the letters, she saw that they were not in order. Some had been labeled with her mother's full name, others had been started with his own pet name for her, not to mention that the date of the letters varied. The handwriting was not her father's, but as she took a closer look, she could see where he began to slip up and his characteristics seeped through. But all of them lacked a proper signature, instead being signed by a stamp of a flower with many layering petals. Almost a rose, but not quite, and she recognized that it was a cordelia.

These were anonymous love letters that her father wrote to her mother so long ago.

She went through them, picking out each letter and placing them in chronological order. She then carefully held the first one and began to read.

_To a Lovely Lady,_

She could feel her eyes beginning to water, and she felt herself sniffle before a tear coursed down her cheek.

Her father was right. She would treasure what he left her above Gantrithor. He knew what she had always wanted and gave it to her. Though it would not be his voice that would narrate the memories, it would be enough until her mother could finish the story.

Through the only way left, he would tell of how he and Cordelia met and fell in love.

* * *

A/N: Wellp, here's where that key went to: a real Robin x Cordy fic. Towards the end of _True Grit_, I realized that while it featured the two of them and how their relationship was, it didn't really answer how the two got together. And seeing as how I wrote that Morgan wanted to understand how her parents met, I saw a nice opportunity to write it out and decided to put that as priority one of sorts while I work on fleshing out my other ideas. Originally this was just going to be an epilogue, but now it's going to be a fic of its own. I don't expect it to be as long as _True Grit_, but I do expect it to be brighter than its other half.

One thing I am a bit concerned about is its time span. I wrote how Severa was born not long after Lucina. If we were to follow canon, this means that Severa must be conceived in close to twenty eight to twenty nine months from the game's start, assuming that it takes about a year to defeat Gangrel and the Valmese campaign starts a little after two years, maybe a month or two. Then I would say subtract about four in regards to measuring time for chapter seven to hit, which is where Cordy joins the party, so really it's twenty four or twenty five months. I think that's enough time, but it still puts a bit of a constraint that I'm a little worried about, which is why I have it so that Robin meets Cordy before she actually joins the Shepherds. Expect some canon and non-canon moments to help make up for the short time.

Although I'm really looking forward to writing out this type of relationship. In a sense, Robin still needs to be involved, but he has to keep himself away until it's the right time to present himself. That part is going to be a bit hard to write, but it looks pretty fun to do.

I am also worried that in a sense, this is a sequel-prequel of sorts. I've never exactly written a full-on sequel, and with a prequel I have to make sure there are no discrepancies. But thankfully this operates perfectly fine as a standalone. You could replace the setting with just about anything and it wouldn't change too much. I plan to jump to both the past and present, so it may be a bit confusing at times, but hopefully it will be clear enough.

I also must apologize to all Robin x Anna fans, because originally this started out as a Robin x Anna fic. Sorry, you'll get your merchant gal story one day. I think.

I do not own Fire Emblem.

I appreciate all comments and criticisms.


	2. Admiration

Chapter One: Admiration

To the Beautiful Flower, Cordelia

_Too flowery._

Dearest Cordelia

_Too intimate. She hardly knew him._

For you, the lovely Cor

_He forgot how many sheets of paper he had gone through. His desk was littered with discarded pieces of parchment, many of them having barely made it past the introduction. There was so much he wanted to say, and yet with each individual word, letter, and sentence, it felt inadequate or inappropriate._

_He let his head fall into his hands. Since that day, it was as if a memory had come back to provide a haunting comfort. He dreamed of his hands going through her hair, her breath on his neck, the heat of their shared bodies. But was it a memory or was it just his fantasies, real as they may be?_

_None of it made any sense! Here was a woman he had just come to first meet, only at a glance, and he found himself in sudden turmoil. She hadn't even been very nice to him!_

_And yet as he thought more and more, he felt his heart softly ache, hoping to see her again. That part didn't quite feel like a memory to him. _

_Besides, even if he could manage to write her a letter, he couldn't just say it was from him. It was too soon for that. He would have to hide who he was if he wanted any sort of hope, and then that would lessen the impact of the letter. And even if he had to do it that way, he would need to come up with some kind of plan to reveal it at the right time._

_And he couldn't get caught._

_He let his eyes peek at the empty piece of paper in front of him, and suddenly a thought came to mind._

_What if it wasn't a love letter he sent her? He felt the gears in his mind beginning to churn. _

_What if it was a… it was a letter of admiration? He would be able to state the bare facts in a way that wasn't quite the bare facts. He would be able to say that she was beautiful, brave, skilled, beautiful, compassionate, loyal, beaut-_

_He was going to need to work on exactly what else to describe her with, but that could be done later._

_So it would be a letter of admiration for now. Then after that, he would slowly send more and more letters that detailed his feelings for her. But that still didn't solve the plan of how to get the letter to her, or subsequent letters for the matter. Sneaking into the Pegasus knight barracks was, while a dream for many a young male soldier, was out of the question._

_Perhaps he could dig up some information using his position, but he would have to be crafty. And Cordelia was smart. She would figure him out if he wasn't careful and he would need to throw her off his trail at times. He would need to effectively trick her into thinking that there were actually two people when in fact there was only one. Maybe he could get her to even think that the mystery man was using him._

_Turning around in his chair, he eyed the door behind. It was sturdy and the wood decently fresh. However, glancing at the left, he spotted the hinges and saw that they were beginning to show signs of rust._

_…_

_He was going to need some more water for that to work. More water and a hammer._

_But that was for later. Right now, he needed to write a letter of admiration._

To a Lovely Lady

* * *

The memorial was solemn. The Shepherds had attended, some of them wearing the armor or clothes they wore that day in remembrance of the battle they fought and with those that had fallen. Not everyone had been able to attend, but all were present in some way, whether it was in the form of a letter of condolences or sharing in the memories with those around them.

Cordelia and Morgan sat next to one another in enduring silence. Severa, who had come back specifically for the event, had her eyes focused on a speck of dust on the ground, unmoving. The side of her hand, however, rested against that of Owain's. Severa had always been that way, showing love in little pieces, and the notion was not lost upon her mother.

As the quiet night in the barracks drew to a close, she noticed that Morgan was no longer with her, having somehow slipped away. She was worried for the girl, but between raising her daughters and taking up the role as Captain of the Pegasus Knights once more, it had been difficult to spend time with her. It did not help that she had little, if any, memories of Cordelia as well. Though she was quick to take up the mantle her father left behind, she could feel that there was something wrong. Robin had always found himself doting upon her much more than she did.

As soon as everyone had said their goodbyes, she began to look for her. She wasn't in her own room in the barracks, nor had she disappeared to the library. Finally stopping by her own room, she realized that the door had been left open. Her first thought was that a thief had come in. Slowly and quietly following the wall, she peered into the room.

"Morgan?"

The young woman turned around to face Cordelia, who had stepped out into the entrance. "Oh, mother," she gave a small smile, brushing away a tear and sniffling a little. "I guess I left the door open, didn't I?"

"You startled me there," Cordelia stepped inside, closing the door behind her. "I was worried that something had happened, seeing the door ajar like that. But more importantly," she moved next to her, placing a hand onto her shoulder, "why are you crying? Was it difficult to be with the Shepherds today?"

"Oh, no!" she quickly turned back to the desk and grabbed the letters she had found on it. "It was indeed difficult to be there today, but that wasn't why I was crying. Before father… disappeared, he gave me a key. He said it was for a drawer in his desk."

She placed the stack of letters into her mother's hands, "I-I found these."

Morgan wasn't sure on how she would react, but continued, watching how Cordelia gasped and softly thumbed the edges. "I always asked father how he met you, but he never had the chance to speak about it, and towards the end, you two… you two were avoiding each other." Her daughter bit back a sniffle. "But he knew that I wanted to know and he... he left me these."

She remembered each and every one of the letters. After Robin had come out and confessed to her that it was he who had given her the letters and started to court her, every now and then he would return to the letters and read one out loud to her. Looking back up at Morgan, her tousled and messy hair coupled with the same type of cloak Robin wore, she pushed back the lump in her throat, knowing what was coming next.

"If you don't want to, I…" her voice cracked, but she pushed on. "I understand if it's still… hard to talk about it, but can we… can we talk about how you and father fell in love?"

She took a deep breath that did nothing to soothe her thoughts. She glanced back down at the first letter on top, remembering how her eyes traced the words, the soft o's and u's looking practiced and unnatural. At the bottom was the soft red-pink stamp of a cordelia, her namesake. Robin told her later that he had hoped to find a deeper red, one that matched her hair, but found none.

Her eyes drifted back to Morgan, who anxiously watched her every move. Placing the letters next to the nightstand by the bed, Cordelia enveloped her arms around her daughter, who fell into them. Running a hand down her back to soothe her, she gently spoke, "Forgive us, Morgan, we've been poor parents." A single tear rolled down her own cheek as her red-haired daughter succumbed in relief.

"I-I'm sorry," she choked out, "I didn't mean to belittle you or father's efforts."

"We were both foolish," she hugged Morgan tighter, "me more so. He always took the higher road when it came to arguments."

After some time, Morgan's sobs ceased. Letting go, she led her to the bed and sighed. "What do you know so far?"

"Well," Morgan's disposition improved with the question, "according to this letter here, this was your first point of meaningful contact with him, but aside from that, nothing else."

"Meaningful contact," the words rolled around her tongue. "You would be correct in that sense. But the very first time I met your father was when we bumped into each other in a hallway in the castle. Lissa was poorly leading him down the hallway and he was forced to chase after her. She rounded a corner and when he rounded past it, we bumped into each other."

"And?" Despite the traces of tears and puffy eyes, Morgan bore the widest smile Cordelia had ever seen.

"Naturally, I was upset. Running in the halls was not allowed and I was very rudely jostled from my patrol. I pulled him down by his collar and was going to tell him off, but-"

Morgan's eyes widened. "_You scolded father?_"

"I almost scolded him, Morgan," she playfully corrected her. "I would have, but I was interrupted by Lissa and Captain Phila. He was dragged away by the princess before I could, but not before Phila got her word in."

"And then a week later, I received the first letter."

* * *

_"I still don't know why Lord Chrom picked me of all people to join the Shepherds."_

_Night had fallen in Ylisstol, and neither Sumia nor Cordelia were given night watch assignments that evening. The two of them were bordered in a room in the pegasus knight barracks, having been how they first met. And while the two shared more than one subject in common, Chrom was the most common of them all. Sleepy eyes would often reflect their regret of talking about the subject, but neither could really sleep. It was their last night together as bunk mates with Sumia's upcoming transfer._

_"Be glad you were chosen that day," she told her. "No doubt you have been the subject of envy for the last month by many in this building, including me."_

_"Oh, but… it doesn't seem- ow!- it doesn't seem fair!" Sumia, who was already tucked in for the night, rolled over in her bed to face her, banging her elbow against the wall in the progress. "I mean, I'm the most recent recruit! I feel like I barely passed the tests, I trip everywhere, and I don't even have my own pegasus yet!"_

_Taking down the winged clip from the side of her hair, she put it on her desk and climbed into the folds of her own bed, only a single candle saving the two from the encroaching darkness. "Lord Chrom is a compassionate man. He probably-"_

_"_Passionate_? Oh, no no no we, I, he… he can't possibly mean to-"_

_"_Com_passionate, Sumia. There is a world of difference between the two words." She could see her friend's cheeks burning red, no doubt knowing what she was thinking about. She shared the same thoughts as her every now and then, after all. "He must see something in you that coincides with his particular goal for the Shepherds, something that he values more than mere fighting ability." He would have picked Sumia last then. It was not that she lacked combat prowess, but rather the confidence in herself to realize how strong she really was._

_"I can't think of anything though!" Moaning, her friend buried her head in her blankets and Cordelia softly rolled her eyes and sighed. "I mean, the Shepherds are his personal team of fighters that help watch over the Halidom! I can't fight very well, and I feel like all I do is trip and break things and apologize and-"_

_"Sumia, I'm starting to think that is exactly why Lord Chrom picked you over any other pegasus knight."_

_"But Cordelia, I have so many faults!" her soft brown eyes peaked out from beneath her sheets._

_"Lord Chrom is a down-to-earth man unlike many other nobles. He wants someone that the people can relate to, someone who is imperfect in ability but perfect at heart. You fit the latter like a glove."_

_"Do you… do you really think so?" Sumia hopefully asked, "I mean, you're so good at what you do here, and I know that in the long run you will serve Lord Chrom more effectively than I would…"_

_"Then… would you resign your newfound position and give it away?"_

_Sumia remained silent, the both of them having discussed their feelings for the prince many times over. The silence between the two was like a thick fog._

_"You know, Cordelia," her friend finally spoke, "if Lord Chrom and I…" she swore she could almost hear her biting her lip, even though the blankets blocked much of it. She felt her body stiffen at what she was afraid she would hear. "I-If we grow closer and… and… you know, would you… we…" Sumia finally threw out a nervous groan. "We would still be friends… right? I-I mean, I don't want to lose you as a friend."_

_She had prepared the words to say so long ago, but they came slow to her lips. "You always had the better chance." She stared into the beady brown eyes through the dark. "You're of noble birth. I only come from a proud line of soldiers who have served the Exalt." She tried to fight her trembling lip. "If you and Lord Chrom grow closer… take your chance."_

_A sniffle from the other side of the room caught her off guard, and Sumia emerged from her blanket cocoon with soft tears rolling down her cheeks. "Oh, Cordelia!" Running over and diving into her bed, she grasped her friend and held her tight. "Thank you, I… I wanted to ask you first, if it was okay!" She was sobbing loudly now, and Cordelia could feel relief washing over both of them, though more for her friend than for herself._

_"You are worth more than you think, Sumia. Lord Chrom knows of that, so do your all to serve him."_

_Sumia wiped a last tear away, "I will, Cordelia. I'll serve him for the both of us."_

_"Good," she started to break away from the hug, "Now you have a big day ahead of you, so-"_

_A knock on the door shook both of them from their thoughts. Turning to the door, they had just enough time to catch a letter being slid under the bottom of it and a pair of feet quickly shuffling away. Momentarily stunned, they both dashed from her bed and threw open the door, but saw no one at either ends of the hallway._

_"Whoever brought the letter here was quick," she said._

_Sumia picked up the letter, looking at the front and then into her eyes. "It's addressed to you, Cordelia." She handed the paper over to her as she shut the door. The red-headed knight took the paper and walked over to the desk. It was sealed with a cheap white wax, perhaps that of a common candle, and on the front it had her name written in elegant cursive._

_In the small candlelight by the desk, she opened the letter and started to read, Sumia looking over from her shoulder._

To a Lovely Lady,

Ylisstol is blessed to have a soldier of your caliber. Your diligence in serving is an inspiration to all under the banner of the Exalt. Whenever I see you flying in the sky, red hair trailing from beneath your helm, I feel like I am invigorated with the strength of ten men and can continue my duties.

I hope this letter of admiration finds you in good spirits, or if it does not, that it puts you amongst them. I have much more to say, but for now I must cut this shorter than I would like it to be. Just know that I appreciate all you do.

_Looking at the bottom of the paper, where there should have been a name, she found only the stamp of a flower with numerous petals._

_"Oh my gods…" She looked to Sumia, who had gotten a far-off look in her eyes._

_Oh, no. "Sumia, this-"_

_"Cordelia, you just got an anonymous love letter!" she squealed._

_"Sumia, it clearly says that it's a letter of admiration!"_

_"Oh, think of who it could be though!" She turned her around and grasped Cordelia by the shoulders, surprising by the rare forthcoming attitude._

_"It could be anyone in this castle town! Have you seen the recent census?"_

_"But they delivered the letter, and they know who you are! They have to be a guardsman or a noble!" she was lost to her own images and thoughts of grandeur._

_Cordelia could only sigh. Still, it brought a brief smile to her lips, softening the sting of her prior relinquishing of her own chance at happiness._

* * *

A/N: Like I said, here's the next chapter. I was a little stumped on what format to adopt, which is why I wrote a chapter of _Three is Company_ first. But I think I will adopt a format like this for particular reasons. It gives a bit of Robin's PoV, family bonding, and then Cordy's PoV, which will often, but probably not always, go over the letter she gets from Robin. I don't really know if I'll be going too much into characterization, as it's kind of just a love story told from the present that dives into the past.

I am really looking forward to writing this though. But since this is chapter one and not much has happened, there isn't much for me to talk about. I expect future chapters to be longer, however, and maybe a bit of a time skip here and there.

Again, writing Sumia was kind of fun. I feel like hiding under blankets is something a green Sumia would do. It's lovingly childish.

Reviews:

Gunlord500: Yeah, I guess you're right. The only time span we're told of is the two years that pass after they defeat Gangrel. Still, unless I push it onto three years for the sake of the story, it still feels kind of tight to fit in.

Dane Namor: If it makes you feel any better, one ending I thought of had Robin come back 50 years after Grima dies just in time to visit Chrom at his deathbed. So it could have been (and could still be) worse.

I'm bad at writing "letters of admiration", and I'm a little worried about writing out the real love letters. But we'll see how that goes. I'm also very surprised at how popular this is considering it's only chapter one. I think it's off to the biggest start compared to the other multi-chapter stories I've written for FE:A so far.

I do not own Fire Emblem

I look forward to your comments and criticisms.


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